Sullivan County Legislators are calling the housing situation in the county “a crisis.” And we couldn’t agree more.

According to new data gathered by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, the median sale price for a home in Sullivan County jumped by 121.5 percent from 2019-2025. 

Coupled with that, the inventory of homes for sale has decreased by 60.6 percent in those same years. 

This creates an unstable situation where many local residents cannot afford to buy a home, while at the same time those who can afford it may not find anything available. 

We really want to call attention to the rising costs. Sullivan is one of only two counties in the Hudson Valley area to see prices double since 2019. 

Of course the Covid pandemic changed many things in our area, bringing an influx of people moving here from New York City, with many renting their house on Airbnb or other short-term rental platforms.

This created a desert of rental housing for full-time residents who cannot afford to buy a home.

Here is more startling data: The ALICE project (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) is an initiative by United Way to represent working families who earn enough to be above the federal poverty line, but are still struggling to afford basic living essentials.

The most recent data from the ALICE project, released in August 2020, shows that Sullivan has the highest percentage of households below the ALICE threshold in the Hudson Valley and is ninth in the state. 

We applaud the Sullivan County Legislature for trying to find a solution, including dedicating funds for affordable housing and working to improve the quality of existing structures.  

Organizations, community groups and government entities can work together to shine a spotlight on the housing crisis and work toward solutions. 

Home ownership should not be out of reach for the people of Sullivan County.